It’s a typical busy day, filled with the usual responsibilities at home and work, but then more than the usual number of unexpected things come up. You manage to keep going, but notice that you’re running slower, losing focus, and feeling overwhelmed.What’s one of the first things most people try when their computer starts running slower or having other problems? They save their work and reboot their computer, which clears the computer’s cluttered memory. Often that is exactly what was needed to get the computer working efficiently again.When you see that it’s taking you longer than it should to complete the task at hand, it may seem like a waste of precious time to stop long enough to clear your mind and settle your spirit, but you’ll probably waste more time and energy in the long run if you don’t. You would be like the person whose computer is running slow or acting up, but who doesn’t want to take the time to clear the computer’s overloaded memory by rebooting.Here are a few things that you can do to “reboot” yourself, all of which involve stepping back from your work for a few minutes: Take a short walk in the fresh air. Take a few deep breaths to clear your lungs. Stretch. Do some light exercises to get your heart rate up a little. Look out the window at God’s creation. Count your blessings. Enjoy a cup of tea. Take a short nap.Before you go back to work, ask Jesus to put each of the tasks still ahead of you in perspective. Reassess your priorities and adjust your work plan accordingly.

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Revelation 14:11 ESV / And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”

John 10:10 ESV / The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Proverbs 17:1 ESV / Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife.

I can still remember when it was just me—self-assured, confident, and proud of my ability to maneuver my car along life’s road. I was master of my fate. I loved those solitary hours on the highway, watching the sun sink below the horizon. I loved the feel of the wheels gripping the road. I loved being able to go anywhere at a whim, wherever my fancy would take me at the moment. Life was all mine to enjoy, and I did my best to live it up.Sure, there were hard times too—lonely, dark stretches of road in the night that seemed to almost swallow me up, times when I had to lie flat on my back in the mud, trying to find a mechanical problem or stop an oil leak, times when I had to replace a blown tire in scorching sun or pouring rain, moments of confusion and frustration attempting to reverse out of dead ends. No, being alone wasn’t all fun and games, but I always managed to brush off those unfortunate incidents and set out again in search of new adventures.Then one day You hitched a ride. When I asked where You were going, You said, “Wherever you’re going,” and I soon discovered a wonderful friendship. You were always there to hold the map and to give directions when I was lost. Somehow all the routes were known to You. You were there too in the darkness of those long night drives, to hold my hand when I was afraid and lonely. Somehow Your presence always made the darkness bright.You were there to push when I needed to get back onto the road after my quest for adventure would land me in a ditch. Somehow You understood my disappointment, and You never said, “I told you so.” You were even there to embrace and forgive after I foolishly argued with You and told You to get out of my life. Somehow You kept loving me and having faith in me. But still I insisted on driving. “After all, it’s my car,” I would remind You. And although I was thankful for Your advice and directions, the final decision always rested with me. “After all, it’s my life.”Miles and miles flew by, and still I insisted on remaining in the driver’s seat, ignoring Your offers to take control—that is, until the day I totaled my car. Humiliated and heartbroken, my dream car in pieces, I finally handed You the car keys. With a smile of relief, You rolled up Your sleeves and went to work making repairs. In no time we were back on the road, with You as the driver and me as the passenger.Relinquishing control was far more difficult than I had expected. “Hey!” I would yell, lunging at the steering wheel. “What are You doing? I thought we’d agreed to go that way!” Immediately You would brake and patiently wait until I had stopped struggling to regain control. Then You would turn to me and say with all the tenderness of a father explaining to his child, “Trust Me. I know what I am doing.” Reluctantly I would surrender and sit, chafing in my seat until we turned the next corner. Suddenly it would become abundantly clear that You did know where You were taking me, and I would turn to You with a look of amazement at Your wisdom and foresight.But that was a lesson I would soon forget, and before long I’d be at it again. We would pass an amusement, and I would whine, “Hey, why didn’t You stop?” You would smile knowingly and say, “Trust Me. I have something far better up ahead.” And sure enough, there was always something far better.After a while I grew accustomed to Your driving. I learned to sit on my hands and bite my tongue when Your ways ran contrary to mine, forcing myself to patiently wait until the next bend in the road revealed the surprise behind that mysterious smile of Yours. Blowouts and wrong turns became a thing of the past too, as were my frantic searches for happiness and excitement. There never seemed to be a dull moment with You in the driver’s seat.That’s not to say there weren’t momentary disappointments, like the times You turned down lonely, dusty roads, and it was just the two of us for miles. But those lonely routes led to some of the most breathtaking views, panoramas full of hidden, mysterious beauty that You had reserved for us alone. There were also times when You chose routes that led through places I had always dreaded—dark, sunless valleys and canyons. Why here? I would silently protest—but You could always tell what I was thinking and would ask, “Have I ever failed you before?” As I forced my soul to be still and trust, I found strength and courage that I had not known I had.Since the day that You took the wheel, I’ve been taken to breathtaking heights and to valleys with a beauty all their own; I’ve experienced the thrill of adventure, incredible happiness, and love without measure. You were right. I would never regret a life spent with You at the wheel.

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Proverbs 3:5 ESV / Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

Jeremiah 29:11 ESV / For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Odd, isn’t it, how our perceptions change as we age. When I was very small, my brother, who was all of 18 months older, defined “big.” When I was in 1st grade, I thought 4th graders were a higher life form, but by the 6th grade I was old enough and wise enough to realize that the new batch of 4th graders were in fact little kids.My parents surely knew everything there was to know until I was a teenager, when they became clueless practically overnight. I could never imagine them as children, but now it’s hard to believe that my own children are parents. My grandparents always seemed old, but now I’m a grandparent myself, and I don’t feel old at all. Why should I? My mother-in-law doesn’t look or act old to me, and she has great-grandchildren. Age, I’m finding out, is more an attitude than a matter of years.Robert Browning revealed the secret to aging gracefully when he wrote:

Grow old along with me!The best is yet to be,The last of life, for which the first was made.1

If I’d read that 30 or 20 or even 10 years ago, that wisdom would have been lost on me, but now the prospect of new experiences and perspectives as I grow older excites me. Others around my age who bemoan each birthday and complain about a few wrinkles should take to heart the next lines from Browning’s poem:

Our times are in His handWho saith, “A whole I planned,Youth shows but half; trust God: see all, nor be afraid!”

Faith in God and His loving plan for our lives changes everything. The longer I live in His love and the closer I try to conform to His plan, the surer I am that “the best is yet to be.”

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Romans 3:23 ESV / For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Acts 16:31 ESV / And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

John 5:24 ESV / Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

An interesting Christmas thought. Why was Jesus placed in a manger? I worked in the delivery area of a hospital and I have seen women with their babies, all they want to do is hold their babies not place them down. So why did Mary placed Jesus in the manger?

A motivational speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, “Who would like this $20 bill?” Hands started going up.He said, “I am going to give this $20 to one of you, but first, let me do this.” He proceeded to crumple the bill.He then asked, “Who still wants it?” Still the hands were up in the air.“Well,” he replied, “what if I do this?” And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. “Now who still wants it?” Still the hands went into the air.“My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20.“Many times in our lives, we are crumpled, dropped, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value in God’s eyes. To Him, dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless.” —Author unknown

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2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV / Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Matthew 24:36 ESV / “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.

Revelation 3:11 ESV / I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.

They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so with this thought in mind I interviewed a few people—male and female, younger and older, and from different backgrounds—to find out what they felt made a person attractive.Here are some of their answers:

What I find most attractive in a woman is when she isn’t overly concerned about what others think of her, when she just acts naturally.—Raymund (29)

One way that I judge whether or not a woman is beautiful is if she’s smiling and her eyes are happy. If so, then she’s beautiful to me, even if she isn’t what most people would call glamorous or especially good looking.—Tim (20)

If somebody has a kind and concerned spirit, they’re beautiful no matter what their physical features may be.—Melody (21)

My personal definition of a beautiful woman has changed over the years. It has gone from a ravishing young blonde, to a mature, personable woman who is a good conversationalist and has a good sense of humor, to one who is happy to sit with me and watch TV.—Steve (70)

Good looks are part of it, but if a girl is charming, funny, and easy to relate to, then she’s beautiful. Or if she’s humorous, ready to do things unexpectedly, adventurous, passionate, and caring, then she’s attractive to me.—James (17)

They say that the eyes are the window to the soul, and that’s true. The first time I met my husband, it was his eyes that attracted me. He had beautiful eyes that reached deep into my soul.—Joyce (46)

A woman’s voice is often the first indication of whether or not I will find her attractive.—Jimmy (38)

Kindness, gentleness, positiveness, conviction, and a sense of humor are some of the qualities that make a person beautiful.—Armina (27)

What makes a woman beautiful to me is her spirit—the way she reacts to people and situations around her.—Nathan (24)

My survey was simple as surveys go, but the consensus was clear: Those polled said that real beauty runs deeper than physical attributes, clothing, or cosmetics; it comes from the inside out. I agree, and it seems that’s how God looks at it too. “Man looks at the outward appearance,” the Bible tells us, “but the Lord looks at the heart.”

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1 Samuel 16:7 ESV / But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

Proverbs 31:10 ESV / An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.

Isaiah 52:7 ESV / How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.

The display cases at a pottery exhibition I visited recently were filled with items, large and small, some functional and some decorative, but all crafted with care. Practical coffee sets and elegant vases, ordinary fruit bowls and intricate ornaments, plaques and plates and figurines, mugs and jugs, jam jars and soup tureens, teapots, coffeepots, and sugar bowls—each item spoke of its creator’s passion and attention to detail. The art of fashioning clay into bricks, tiles, or porcelain objects is one of the oldest known to the human race.Each item started off as a lump of clay, more or less. What made the difference? A pair of skillful hands, to be sure, but more than that: a purpose and a design. Will this item be a slender vase to display bouquets of flowers, or a set of dishes? Will the craftsman fashion a tiny pitcher to pour cream for coffee, or a large jar for pickling vegetables?God is a potter. We are the clay vessels of His design. He fashioned each of us to be a unique vessel for a unique purpose. He knew exactly where to place each part, each handle, and each spout. He knew which areas needed to be solid and strong.No matter how inadequate I feel, and how many talents and qualities I lack, God knew what I would need for the purpose He created me to fulfill, my destiny. To grumble about or belittle what He has given me is as ridiculous as the fruit bowl lamenting, “I’m missing a spout,” or the vase complaining, “I’m too tall,” or the teapot moaning, “I’m just too fat.” And what about the plate? Would he gripe, “Why am I so flat and plain?” No, each of these items is designed to fulfill its function.I saw some beautiful examples of pottery at the exhibition, but when I got home, I didn’t regret not owning any of them. I was happy to pick up my old favorite coffee mug, which faithfully fulfills its purpose each day.I have a feeling that’s how God sees us. He made us and equipped us for what He wants us to be and do in this life, and nothing pleases Him more than seeing us live up to that potential.Who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?”

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1 John 4:8 ESV / Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Romans 8:37-39 ESV / No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romanos 9:20 ESV / But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?”

It’s a typical busy day, filled with the usual responsibilities at home and work, but then more than the usual number of unexpected things come up. You manage to keep going, but notice that you’re running slower, losing focus, and feeling overwhelmed.What’s one of the first things most people try when their computer starts running slower or having other problems? They save their work and reboot their computer, which clears the computer’s cluttered memory. Often that is exactly what was needed to get the computer working efficiently again.When you see that it’s taking you longer than it should to complete the task at hand, it may seem like a waste of precious time to stop long enough to clear your mind and settle your spirit, but you’ll probably waste more time and energy in the long run if you don’t. You would be like the person whose computer is running slow or acting up, but who doesn’t want to take the time to clear the computer’s overloaded memory by rebooting.Here are a few things that you can do to “reboot” yourself, all of which involve stepping back from your work for a few minutes: Take a short walk in the fresh air. Take a few deep breaths to clear your lungs. Stretch. Do some light exercises to get your heart rate up a little. Look out the window at God’s creation. Count your blessings. Enjoy a cup of tea. Take a short nap.Before you go back to work, ask Jesus to put each of the tasks still ahead of you in perspective. Reassess your priorities and adjust your work plan accordingly.

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Revelation 14:11 ESV / And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”

John 10:10 ESV / The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Proverbs 17:1 ESV / Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife.

We have noticed there are many of you out there who are following our blog. Some of you are from outside the United States. If you found us it is no coincidence you did. We are about to start a new series called Conquer. This series helps men and women understand the addictive nature of pornography in their lives. This course is a six week course which we will be doing by - weekly to allow for to me for the information to stay with you a little before moving on. This course opens the mind to the problem, possible causes, and tools to start a deeper linger group to help free you from addiction. We wanted to offer it online and were wondering if anyone would be interested in being a part of it.